PERSONAL  WORK. 


How 

Organized  and  Accomplished. 


{ 


i 


PERSONAL  WORK. 


How 


Organized  and  Accomplished. 


METHOD  AND  STUDIES 

Suggested  by 

C.  K.  OBER  and  J.  R.  MOTT. 


REVISED  EDITION. 


New  York: 

The  International  Committee  of 
Young  Men’s  Christian 
Associations. 


(5-0-223-10- ’9») 


COPYRIGHTED  1892. 

BY 

The  International  Committee, 
of 

Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations. 


No.  307. 


For  the  list  ol  publications  in  the  “  College  Series, 

see  last  pages. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  /. —  The  Method. 

PAGE* 

I.  Introduction.  5 

II.  The  Workers’  Bible  Training  Class 

Defined . 8. 

III.  The  Plan  of  the  Class  ....  9 

1.  The  Development  of  the  Bible  Topic  9 

2.  The  Consideration  of  an  Actual  Case  9 

3.  Reports  of  Recent  Personal  Work  IO' 

4.  Review  Drill  on  Key  Passages  of 

Scripture  . 11 

IV.  The  Organization  of  the  Class  .  13 

1.  Members . 13 

2.  Leader . 14 

3.  Secretary  . 14 

V.  How  to  Conduct  the  Class  ...  15 

1.  Place . 15 

2.  Time . 15 

3.  Order  of  Exercises . 15 

4.  Character  of  Proceedings  ...  16 

VI.  Suggestions  to  Members  of  the  Class  17 

1.  On  Helps . 17 

2.  On  Preparation  of  the  Bible  Topic  17 

3.  On  Points  to  be  Observed  in  Doing 

Personal  Work . 19 

VII.  Suggestions  to  the  Leader  of  the 

Class . 22 

1.  On  the  Development  of  the  Bible 

Topic . 22 

2.  On  the  Consideration  of  the  Actual 

Case . 23.. 

3.  On  the  Reports  of  Members  on 

Recent  Personal  Work  ...  24 

4.  On  the  Bible  Drill . 26 

5.  On  Examination . 27 

6.  On  Difficulties  Likely  to  be  En¬ 

countered  in  the  Conduct  of  the 
Class  . 27 

VIII.  How  To  Start  a  Class . 31 


PART  II. — Studies  on  Personal  Work. 

PAGE 

Preliminary  Suggestions.  34 

I.  The  Workers’  Bible  Training  Class  37 

II.  Scripture  Examples  of  Personal 

Work  Gathered  and  Classified  .  39 

III.  The  Importance  of  Personal  Work  42 

IV.  Incentives  Which  Should  Inspire 

the  Personal  Worker  ....  44 

V.  Qualifications  for  Personal  Work  45 

VI.  Hindrances  to  Personal  Work  .  .  47 

VII.  How  to  Follow  Up  a  Case  of  Suc¬ 

cessful  Personal  Work  ....  48 

VIII.  Suggestive  Scripture  Example  of 

Successful  Personal  Work  ...  51 

IX.  Side-Lights  from  the  Experience 


and  Example  of  Paul . 54 

X.  Lessons  from  the  Personal  Inter¬ 
views  of  Jesus  Christ  . 55 


Appendix — Delegated  Personal  Work. 


PERSONAL  WORK:  HOW  ORGAN¬ 
IZED  AND  ACCOMPLISHED. 


I.  Introduction. 

Every  Christian  admits  the  import¬ 
ance  of  personal  work.  He  recognizes 
it  as  enjoined  time  after  time  in  the 
Scriptures;  for  he  finds  it  clearly  im¬ 
plied  in  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ, 
emphasized  by  His  direct  commands, 
illustrated  most  strikingly  by  His  exam¬ 
ple,  and  practiced  by  His  Apostles  and 
the  early  Christians.  He  sees  that  all 
other  agencies — even  those  directly 
evangelistic — are  insufficient  to  lead 
men  into  the  Christian  life  unless  sup¬ 
plemented  by  this.  The  experience  and 
testimony  of  successful  pastors,  evangel¬ 
ists,  and  Christian  workers  everywhere, 
teach  him  that  it  is  the  most  effective 
method.  Moreover,  it  was  probably  the 
means  of  his  own  conversion. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Chris¬ 
tians  generally  recognize  the  importance 


5 


•of  personal  work,  there  are  compara¬ 
tively  few  who  accept  their  individual 
responsibility,  and  who  make  an  intelli¬ 
gent  effort  to  lead  anyone  to  Christ  by 
this  method.  There  is  a  deplorable  lack 
of  skilled  personal  workers  in  our 
Churches,  Sunday  Schools,  Christian  As¬ 
sociations,  and  Societies  among  young- 
people.  Startling  statistics  recently  col¬ 
lected  in  different  parts  of  the  country 
might  be  given  in  this  connection  were 
it  necessary.  This  dearth  of  workers  is 
not  necessarily  due  to  a  failure  to  appre¬ 
ciate  the  importance  of  personal  work. 
It  is  due  in  the  great  majority  of  cases 
to  a  want  of  definite  study,  and  to  a 
want  of  actual  experience.  Unwilling¬ 
ness  and  hesitation  find  their  cause  in 
conscious  ignorance  and  inability.  Some¬ 
thing,  therefore,  is  imperatively  needed 
to  meet  these  two  wants. 

To  supply  the  lack  of  knowledge  upon 
the  varied  phases  of  this  subject,  several 
courses  of  Bible  study  have  been  pre¬ 
pared  by  prominent  Christian  workers, 
and  have  been  widely  used.  They  were 
designed  and  used  chiefly  to  prepare 


6 


Christians,  directly  or  indirectly,  for  per¬ 
sonal  work.  It  has  been  a  growing-  con¬ 
viction  with  some  who  are  conversant 
with  the  practical  working  and  results 
of  such  courses  that  far  greater  empha¬ 
sis  be  laid  on  getting  Christians  not  only 
to  learn  how  to  do  personal  work,  but 
also,  by  engaging  in  definite  personal 
work ,  to  acquire  the  habit  of  doing  it. 
In  harmony  with  this  conviction,  there¬ 
fore,  the  following  plan  for  organizing 
and  accomplishing  personal  work,  to¬ 
gether  with  the  accompanying  course  of 
study,  is  presented. 


7 


II.  The  Workers’  Bible  Training  Class 
Defined. 

The  Workers’  Bible  Training  Class  is 
not  designed  for  purely  intellectual  Bible 
study.  Further,  it  does  not  seek  to 
cover  the  ground  of  a  class  for  devo¬ 
tional  Bible  study.  It  is  not  a  Bible 
training  class,  the  aim  of  which  is  to 
afford  general  training  which  at  the 
same  time  has  no  immediate  practical 
end  in  view.  Moreover,  it  is  not  a 
workers’  Bible  training  class,  so-called, 
having  a  practical  end  in  view  which  it 
fails  to  realize  until  after  the  course  of 
study  is  completed.  What  then  is  the 
object  of  the  Workers’  Bible  Training 
Class?  It  is  to  enable  Christians,  by 
the  use  of  special  Bible  studies,  and  by 
actual  participation  in  personal  work,  to 
lead  others  one  by  one  to  Christ. 


8 


III.  The  Plan  of  the  Class. 


This  includes  four  separate  and  dis¬ 
tinct  features. 

1.  The  Development  of  a  Bible  Topic. 
A  part  of  the  time  of  each  lesson  is 
devoted  to  the  development  of  a  Bible 
topic.  Naturally  the  topic  to  be  studied, 
whatever  it  may  be,  should  bear  directly 
or  indirectly  upon  the  subject  of  personal 
work.  A  course  of  studies  of  this  de¬ 
scription  constitutes  a  part  of  this  pam¬ 
phlet.  It  will  serve  as  an  initial  course, 
and,  properly  followed,  will  prepare  the 
way  for  other  series  of  topics.* 

2.  The  Consideration  of  an  Actual 
Case.  By  an  actual  case  is  meant  that 
of  a  non-Christian  or  a  backslider,  or  an 
inconsistent  Christian,  personally  known 
to  one  or  more  members  of  the  class. 

*Two  supplemental  courses,  designed  to  be  used  in 
connection  with  this  method,  have  recently  been  pre¬ 
pared  and  are  being  successfully  employed:  Christ  as  a 
Personal  Worker ,  by  Mr.  L.  Wilbur  Messer;  and  Christ 
Among  Men,  by  Mr.  James  McConaughy.  These  are  pub¬ 
lished  by  the  International  Committee  of  the  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Associations,  40  East  23rd  St.,  New  York  City. 


9 


Some  one  of  their  number  has  had  a 
personal  interview  with  him  on  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  his  entering  the  Christian  life, 
and  has  been  unable  to  lead  him  to  a 
favorable  decision.  The  substance  of 
this  interview  has  been  reported;  and 
for  an  entire  week  his  case  has  been 
made  a  subject  of  special  study  and 
prayer  by  each  member  of  the  class. 
At  their  regular  meeting  results  are  com¬ 
pared,  the  case  in  all  its  bearings  is 
considered,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  the 
method  best  calculated  to  lead  him  to 
make  a  decision  for  Christ  is  determined. 
This  will  afford  invaluable  suggestion  to 
that  member  of  the  class  who  is  expected 
to  have  another  interview  with  him.  It 
should  be  borne  in  mind  constantly  that 
actual  and  not  imaginary  or  hypothetical 
cases  should  be  made  the  subject  of  this 
phase  of  the  work.  The  life  of  the  sys¬ 
tem  depends  upon  this  feature. 

3.  Reports  of  Recent  Personal  Work. 
Each  one,  on  becoming  a  member  of 
the  class,  agrees  to  engage  in  personal 
work;  —  or,  at  least,  to  make  honest 
efforts  to  do  so.  A  portion  of  the  time 


10 


at  each  regular  meeting  is  devoted  to 
receiving  and  reviewing  concise  written 
reports  of  work  done  by  the  various 
members.  From  these  reports  one  case 
is  selected  for  their  study  in  connection 
with  each  lesson.  An  agreement  is 
reached,  so  far  as  possible  at  that  time, 
concerning  the  real  spiritual  condition 
and  difficulties  of  the  man ;  and  an  exact 
wording  of  the  case,  together  with  any 
suggestive  points  mentioned  by  the  one 
reporting  it,  is  written  down  by  each 
member. 

4.  Review  Drill  on  Key  Passages  of 
Scripl7ire.  The  experience  of  the  most 
successful  personal  workers  has  estab¬ 
lished  the  great  importance  of  memoriz¬ 
ing  key  passages  from  the  Bible.  It 
will  not  be  well  at  first  for  the  members 
of  the  class  to  attempt  to  memorize  too 
many  passages.  If  two  only  can  be 
retained  in  memory  from  each  lesson, 
which  set  forth  clearly  the  central 
thought,  both  of  the  Bible  topic  and 
of  the  consideration  of  the  actual  case, 
these  in  the  aggregate  will  furnish  an 
invaluable  fund  of  Scripture  truth  for 


use  in  active  service.  They  should  be 
memorized  not  only  verbally,  but  also 
by  book,  chapter,  verse,  and  context. 
From  time  to  time  the  leader  should 
drill  the  members  of  the  class  in  repeat¬ 
ing  and  locating  these  important  pass¬ 
ages. 


12 


IV.  The  Organization  of  the  Class. 

i.  Members.  The  success  of  this,  more 
perhaps  than  that  of  any  other  form  of 
Bible  class  work,  depends  upon  the  care 
with  which  its  membership  is  formed. 
The  conditions  named,  therefore,  should 
be  carefully  observed:  (i)  Qualifica¬ 
tions.  The  class  should  be  composed 
solely  of  Christians  who  have  an  ambi¬ 
tion  to  become  skilled  personal  workers, 
and  who  are  willing  to  make  sacrifices 
to  attain  that  end.  It  is  desirable,  though 
not  absolutely  necessary,  that  the  mem¬ 
bers  shall  have  had  at  least  the  equiva¬ 
lent  of  one  )^ear  of  thorough,  general 
Bible  study.  As  implied,  there  are  ex¬ 
ceptions  to  this  rule.  As  the  classes 
have  to  do  with  the  most  personal  and 
sacred  matters,  it  is  of  the  utmost  im¬ 
portance  that  the  members  have  implicit 
confidence  in  one  another.  (2)  The 
classes  which  have  achieved  the  great¬ 
est  success  are  those  the  members  of 
which  have  made  and  kept  the  follow¬ 
ing  mutual  agreement:  ( a )  That  they 


13 


will  engage  in  actual  personal  work ; 
or,  at  least,  make  honest  and  persistent 
efforts  to  do  so.  ( b )  That  they  will  give 
the  equivalent  of  at  least  twenty  min¬ 
utes  each  day  to  preparation  of  the 
lesson.  ( c )  That,  unless  providentially 
detained,  they  will  attend  the  class  regu¬ 
larly  and  be  there  on  time.  (3)  The 
number  of  students  in  each  class  should 
not  be  more  than  twelve,  and  preferably 
not  more  than  six  or  eight. 

2.  Leader.  The  most  important  thing 
in  the  organization  of  a  class  is  the  secur¬ 
ing  of  a  suitable  leader.  A  successful 
leader  must  know  the  way,  keep  ahead, 
and  get  others  to  follow.  Such  men  are 
rare.  The  faculty  of  leadership  is  some¬ 
times  latent,  and  has  to  be  called  out  by 
imposing  responsibility.  If  necessary, 
try  several  men ;  the  right  one  will  in 
time  be  found,  and,  when  found,  should 
not  be  changed. 

3.  Secretary.  Each  class  should  have 
a  secretary,  who  should  keep  the  record 
of  attendance,  interesting  incidents,  and 
results  of  work  accomplished. 


14 


V.  How  to  Conduct  the  Class. 

i  .  Place.  The  place  of  meeting  should 
be  convenient  for  all,  and  where  the  class 
will  not  be  disturbed.  For  convenience 
in  keeping  notes,  and  for  the  sake  of 
promoting  greater  freedom,  the  mem¬ 
bers  should  gather  around  a  table.  This 
is  more  important  than  might  at  first 
appear.  Books  of  reference  should  be 
at  hand. 

2.  Time.  The  meetings  of  the  class 
should  be  held  regularly  once  each  week, 
and  should  continue  for  one  hour. 

3.  Order  of  Exercises.  In  order  to 
cover  the  ground  required  by  the  plan 
of  the  class  within  the  limited  time  of 
one  hour,  close  adherence  to  the  follow¬ 
ing  order,  based  upon  the  experience  of 
many  classes,  is  necessary : 

(1)  Prayer. 

(2)  Development  of  Bible  topic* 
twenty  minutes. 

(3)  Consideration  of  actual  case* 

twenty-five  minutes. 


(4)  Reports  of  recent  personal  work, 
ten  minutes.  At  least  once  a  month  the 
time  should  be  so  divided  as  to  admit  of 
a  review  drill  on  key  passages. 

4.  Character  of  Proceedings.  On  ac¬ 
count  of  the  singularly  personal  charac¬ 
ter  of  much  of  the  work  of  such  classes, 
it  is  recommended  that  their  nature  and 
proceedings  be  kept  secret. 

Special  suggestions  to  leaders  on  how 
to  conduct  the  class  have  been  reserved 
for  treatment  in  a  later  section  of  this 
pamphlet. 


16 


VI.  Suggestions  to  Members  of  the 
Class. 

1.  On  Helps.  Each  member  of  the 
class  should  provide  himself  with,  and 
learn  to  use  skillfully,  the  following- 
helps  : 

Cruden’s  or  Young’s  Concordance. 

A  Bible  text  book.  A  good  edition  is 
published  by  the  American  Tract  So¬ 
ciety.  The  Inglis  Bible  Text  Cyclo¬ 
pedia  can  also  be  recommended. 

It  is  assumed  that  each  member  pos¬ 
sesses  a  copy  of  the  Revised  Version  of 
the  Bible.  If  this  is  not  the  case,  it 
should  be  procured  without  fail. 

The  class  should  always  have  access 
to  such  additional  helps  as  may  be  de¬ 
manded  by  the  particular  course  of  study 
pursued. 

Each  member  should  secure  a  large 
and  durable  note-book,  in  which  class 
notes  and  final  results  of  work  shall  be 
carefully  copied. 

2.  On  Preparation  of  the  Bible  Topic. 
Get  a  clear  idea  of  the  outline  of  the 


17 


lesson  as  given,  and  its  setting  in  the 
general  series  of  topics. 

Where  Scripture  references  are  given, 
look  them  up  in  each  case,  and  examine 
them  carefully  together  with  the  con¬ 
text.  Do  not,  however,  be  satisfied 
simply  with  those  which  may  be  given. 
Often  they  constitute  but  partial  evi¬ 
dence,  and  are  at  best  intended  only  as 
starting  points  to  direct  and  encourage 
further  study.  Great  caution  should  be 
exercised  not  to  distort  passages,  and 
thus  give  an  unwarranted  interpretation. 
Distinguish  between  Scripture  addressed 
to  Christians  and  non-Christians.  Where 
references  are  not  given,  Scripture  light 
on  the  point  under  consideration  may  be 
obtained  by  tracing  with  the  concord¬ 
ance  and  index  even  several  words,  if 
necessary,  which  are  suggested  by  the 
statement  of  the  topic. 

Keep  constantly  in  mind  the  central 
idea  of  the  lesson,  or  of  any  subordinate 
point  in  question,  and  do  not  be  tempted 
aside  to  follow  up  irrelevant  lines  of 
study. 

18 


It  is  hoped  that  members  will  take 
more  time  than  the  preparation  of  the 
prescribed  lesson  requires,  in  order  that 
they  may  acquire  a  broader,  stronger 
and  more  independent  grasp  of  the  sub¬ 
ject.  This  will  afford  opportunity  to 
follow  up  interesting  lines  of  study  sug¬ 
gested  by  the  regular  class  work. 

The  helpful  results  of  a  close  compari¬ 
son  of  the  Revised  with  the  Authorized 
Versions,  and  in  case  of  doubtful  pass¬ 
ages,  of  an  examination  of  the  original 
text,  cannot  be  overestimated. 

Record  results  of  study,  step  by  step, 
even  if  likely  to  be  recast.  This  is  ren¬ 
dered  all  the  more  necessary  because  of 
the  small  amount  of  time  allotted  to  this 
work  from  day  to  day. 

3.  On  Points  to  be  Observed  in  Doing 
Personal  Work.  As  this  method  requires 
that  the  members  engage  in  personal 
work  from  the  very  beginning  of  the 
course,  a  few  suggestions  are  presented 
to  guide  such  of  them  as  have  had  little 
or  no  experience.  The  following  hints 
are  based  largely  on  points  gathered  by 
conversation  and  correspondence  with 


19 


seven  of  the  most  successful  personal 
workers  of  the  country: 

Pray  for  opportunities. 

Watch  for  opportunities. 

Center  on  one  man. 

Where  possible,  study  the  man  in  ad¬ 
vance,  and  the  best  time  and  way  to 
approach  him. 

Make  an  engagement  for  an  interview 
with  him,  under  the  most  favorable  con¬ 
ditions,  without  necessarily  informing 
him  in  advance  of  the  object. 

Seek  to  attract;  avoid  antagonizing. 
Remember  we  are  to  win  men.  Act 
according  to  Paul’s  method:  I.  Cor.  ix: 
19-22.  Avoid  cant;  be  natural. 

Realize  that  you  are  doing  a  great 
thing  for  the  man  whom  you  are  seeking 
to  win  to  Christ. 

Be  willing  to  make  a  mistake  for 
Christ’s  sake  rather  than  miss  an  oppor¬ 
tunity  which  may  never  present  itself 
again. 

Deal  with  the  man  alone. 

Find  out  what  he  believes ,  rather  than 
what  he  does  not  believe,  and  thus  learn 
most  hopeful  ways  of  approach.  Ascer- 


20 


tain  also  the  stage  he  has  actually 
reached  in  his  experience,  e.  g. ,  does  he 
yet  recognize  his  sinfulness  and  helpless¬ 
ness  ? 

Endeavor  to  meet  his  difficulty  as  it 
really  exists,  and  not  necessarily  accord¬ 
ing  to  some  preconceived  plan  of  your 
own. 

Use  your  Bible  in  the  interview,  and, 
where  expedient,  have  the  man  read 
from  it  for  himself. 

Avoid  technical,  religious  terms,  not 
commonly  understood  among  uncon¬ 
verted  men. 

Avoid  the  spirit  of  controversy. 

Probe  men  regarding  specific  sins ;  and 
be  honest  in  dealing  with  sin  whenever 
found. 

Do  not  be  satisfied  with  meeting  a 
man’s  objections;  but  also  clearly  pre¬ 
sent  to  him  the  Gospel. 

Be  in  constant  prayer;  and  rely  im¬ 
plicitly  on  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Press  the  man  to  an  immediate  de¬ 
cision,  if  possible. 

Never  give  a  man  up. 


VII.  Suggestions  to  the  Leader  of 
the  Class. 

The  leader  should  master  this  pamphlet 
in  order  to  fully  appreciate  the  genius 
of  the  plan.  More  than  this,  he  should 
read  the  lives  and  writings  of  a  few  of 
the  most  earnest  and  successful  Christian 
workers.  As  has  been  intimated,  the 
success  of  the  class  depends  very  largely 
upon  the  leader;  and  to  such  as  have  had 
comparatively  little  experience  in  this 
capacity,  these  suggestions  are  given : 

i.  On  the  Development  of  the  Bible 
Topic.  Hold  the  class  to  the  topic  under 
consideration.  Do  not  allow  digressions, 
no  matter  how  interesting  they  may  be. 

Give  the  class  key  passages  and  other 
references  when  it  seems  necessary. 

See  that  the  members  observe  very 
carefully  the  connection  or  setting  of 
each  passage. 

Have  each  member  preserve  in  his 
note-book  as  complete  results  of  the 
study  of  the  various  members  of  the  class 
as  he  can  obtain ;  but  insist  on  his  master- 


22 


ing  only  such  passages  as  are  necessary 
to  fully  establish  the  point  in  question. 

Throughout  the  study  of  every  phase 
of  each  topic  keep  in  mind  the  real  object 
of  the  class — to  fit  men  for  leading  others 
to  Christ,  and  to  encourage  and  direct  them 
in  their  efforts. 

2.  On  the  Consideration  of  the  Actual 
Case.  The  case  selected  at  the  last  meet¬ 
ing  of  the  class  to  be  treated  at  this  time 
should  be  clearly  restated. 

Then  let  the  members  of  the  class  give 
the  results  of  their  study  upon  it  during 
the  past  week. 

These  results  should  be  thoroughly 
discussed,  and  conclusions  preserved  in 
their  note-books. 

Go  to  the  bottom  of  each  case  that  is 
taken  up  for  consideration.  In  some  in¬ 
stances,  in  order  to  do  this,  it  will  be  nec¬ 
essary  to  hold  the  case  under  considera¬ 
tion  for  more  than  one  lesson. 

The  class  should  then  be  led  to  decide, 
so  far  as  is  possible,  upon  the  best  method 
of  applying,  in  the  subsequent  personal 
work  with  the  man  in  question,  the  results 
reached  in  the  class. 


23 


The  leader  should  have  an  interview 
soon  after  the  meeting  of  the  class  with 
the  member  to  whom  the  case  last  con¬ 
sidered  has  been  delegated,  and  should 
cooperate  with  him  by  counsel  and  prayer. 

The  importance  of  treating  actual,  and 
not  theoretical,  cases  cannot  be  overem¬ 
phasized.  It  gives  the  work  definiteness. 
It  insures  an  interest  otherwise  impossi¬ 
ble.  Realizing  that  the  life  of  a  man 
may  depend  upon  the  thoroughness,  con¬ 
scientiousness,  and  prayerfulness  of  this 
work  lends  to  it  a  tremendous  signifi¬ 
cance.  Experience  has  proved  that 
wherever  this  fundamental  characteristic 
of  the  class  has  been  disregarded,  interest 
has  waned,  and  the  class  has  failed  to 
realize  the  real  object  of  its  existence. 
Hold  to  it,  therefore,  tenaciously. 

3.  On  the  Reports  of  the  Members  on 
Recent  Personal  Work.  In  order  that 
the  class  may  be  kept  supplied  with 
actual  cases  it  is  necessary  that  the  mem¬ 
bers  engage  in  personal  work  throughout 
the  course.  Some  members  of  the  class 
have  not  had  experience  in  personal  work. 
Others  for  various  reasons  shrink  from 


24 


undertaking  it,  or  fail  to  see  opportuni¬ 
ties.  In  all  such  cases  encouragement 
and  direction  from  the  leader  are  needed. 
The  very  best  way  to  enlist  them  is  to 
give  them  some  definite  personal  work 
to  do.  This  not  only  opens  up  an  unpar¬ 
alleled  opportunity  for  the  leader  to  mul¬ 
tiply  his  life,  but  also  imposes  upon  him 
a  peculiar  responsibility,  because  the 
assignment  of  men  to  such  work  calls  for 
rare  discrimination  and  much  prayer  on 
his  part.* 

During  the  last  ten  minutes  of  each 
lesson  have  the  reports  of  work  done  dur¬ 
ing  the  past  week  by  the  members  of  the 
class  read.  Time  will  be  saved  and  defi¬ 
niteness  secured  if  their  reports  are  ren¬ 
dered  in  writing,  and  handed  to  the 
leader  sufficiently  in  advance  to  enable 
him  to  inspect  them  carefully  before  the 
class  convenes.  They  should  be  re¬ 
turned  to  the  members  in  order  that  they 
may  be  presented  at  the  proper  time  in 
the  class. 

The  case  to  be  treated  at  the  next  meet¬ 
ing  should  at  this  time  be  announced  by 

*  See  Appendix. 


25 


the  leader,  who  has  previously  selected 
it  from  the  written  reports.  The  mem¬ 
ber  who  presented  this  case  originally 
should  now  be  called  upon  to  read  it, 
and  to  give  such  additional  information 
concerning  the  man  to  whom  it  refers  as 
he  may  consider  important,  or  as  may  be 
called  for  by  others.  He  should  not 
only  give  an  account  of  the  conversation 
with  him,  but  should  also  mention  his 
personal  characteristics.  Other  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  class  should  add  any  further 
facts  which  will  afford  help  in  studying 
his  case. 

The  class  should  then  decide  as  nearly 
as  possible  what  the  man’s  spiritual  con¬ 
dition  is,  and  what  the  real  difficulty,  or 
difficulties,  that  stand  in  his  way.  A 
clear  statement  of  all  this  should  be 
written  down  by  each  member  to  guide 
him  in  his  preparation  during  the  week. 

4.  On  the  Bible  Drill.  Have  Bibles 
and  note-books  closed. 

Take  up  each  point  of  the  topic,  call¬ 
ing  upon  some  member  to  repeat  the 
passage  from  the  Bible  which  will  most 
clearly  establish  it. 


Let  another  member  give  the  exact 
location  of  the  passage  quoted,  mention¬ 
ing  book,  chapter  and  verse ;  and,  where 
necessary,  showing  its  meaning  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  context.  The  actual 
cases  should  be  reviewed  in  the  same 
way  as  the  topics. 

Require  ready  answers. 

Insist  on  exact  quotations. 

The  object  of  this  Bible  drill  is  to  cul¬ 
tivate  accuracy  and  readiness  in  the  use 
of  the  Scriptures.  Every  successful  per¬ 
sonal  worker  must  have  these  qualities; 
must  be  ready  for  emergencies. 

Care  should  be  exercised  that  this  drill 
may  not  become  mechanical,  but  rather 
that  it  be  conducted  in  the  thoughtful 
and  reverent  spirit. 

5.  On  Examination.  It  is  strongly 
recommended  that  a  written  examination 
be  held  at  the  close  of  each  course  of  les¬ 
sons.  The  details  of  this  naturally  sug¬ 
gest  themselves  to  the  leader. 

6.  On  Difficulties  Likely  to  be  Encoun¬ 
tered  in  the  Conduct  of  the  Class.  The 
following  are  among  the  more  common 
difficulties  which  leaders  have  encoun- 


27 


tered,  as  reported  in  correspondence  and 
at  conferences : 

( 1 )  “  The  members  do  not  attend  reg¬ 
ularly.  ”  Show  them  that  only  by  regular 
attendance  can  they  insure  the  success 
of  the  class,  and  that  only  in  this  way 
can  they  grasp  the  unity  of  the  series  of 
topics  and  appreciate  the  genius  of  this 
method.  Also  make  it  a  matter  of  con¬ 
science  with  them.  Some  leaders  limit 
the  size  of  the  class,  and  thus  keep  mem¬ 
bership  at  a  premium.  If  a  member 
stays  away  without  a  good  excuse  they 
let  another  have  his  place.  The  large 
majority  of  classes  secure  satisfactory 
attendance  through  strict  adherance  to  the 
“  mutual  agreement.  ” 

(2)  “  The  members  do  not  come  on 
time.  ”  The  best  way  to  overcome  this 
fault  is  for  the  leader  always  to  begin 
and  close  on  time.  Some  have  found  it 
advantageous  to  close  the  doors  at  the 
time  the  class  begins  work.  Here  also 
the  “mutual  agreement  ”  is  necessary. 

(3)  11  Some  members  say  they  do  not 
have  time  to  prepare. "  Many  hints  might 
be  given  in  connection  with  this  most 
common  and  least  reasonable  excuse,  but 
the  two  following,  whenever  conscien¬ 
tiously  followed,  have  been  found  suf¬ 
ficient  to  remove  the  difficulty.  First, 
suggest  to  them  that  they  make  a  writ- 


28 


ten  schedule  accounting  for  their  entire 
time,  and  see  if  they  cannot  find  at  least 
twenty  minutes  a  day  on  an  average 
to  devote  to  this  important  purpose. 
Secondly,  urge  them  to  make  the  test  of 
putting  their  Bible  study  the  first  thing 
in  the  day,  and  making  everything  else 
bend  to  it. 

(4)  “  The  lesson  cannot  be  covered  in 
the  required  time.”  The  leader  should 
keep  the  reins  of  the  class  in  his  own 
hands.  He  should  absolutely  insist  on 
asking  all  the  questions  himself  during 
the  larger  part  of  the  hour,  leaving  a 
few  moments  at  the  close  for  questions 
from  others.  As  the  art  of  asking  ques¬ 
tions  properly  is  a  difficult  one,  it  should 
receive  special  thought  on  the  part  of  the 
leader.  This  will  help  him  to  get  more 
quickly  at  the  heart  of  the  subject  and 
thus  save  the  time  of  the  class.  Do  not 
wait  too  long  for  answers  to  questions. 
Help  the  class,  when  necessary,  by  fur¬ 
nishing  them  subdivisions  on  difficult 
topics  and  suggestive  passages  of  Scrip¬ 
ture.  If  necessary,  take  two  or  more 
sessions  for  the  topic,  though  a  special 
effort  should  usually  be  made  to  cover  it 
within  the  required  time. 

(5)  “ Debates  arise  in  the  class.” 
Whenever  they  are  conducted  in  the 
wrong  spirit,  or  lead  away  from  the 


29 


point  under  consideration,  or  are  too 
prolonged,  the  leader  should  exercise 
his  authority  and  put  a  stop  to  them. 
If  any  member  causes  particular  trouble 
in  this  respect,  speak  to  him  privately 
about  it.  Above  all  things  conduct  the 
class  in  a  prayerful  spirit.  Begin  with 
prayer;  close  with  prayer;  frequently 
call  for  special  prayer;  be  instant  in 
prayer,  as  building  for  eternity. 

(6)  “  Some  members  will  not  do  per¬ 
sonal  work.”  As  has  already  been  em¬ 
phasized,  assign  them  definite  work  to 
do ;  and  give  them  points  on  how  to  do 
it.  Pray  with  them  about  this  work, 
and  encourage  them  in  what  they  try  to 
do.  The  leader  should  set  the  example 
himself.  If,  after  tactful  and  faithful 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  leader,  a  mem¬ 
ber  should  still  fail  to  engage  in  personal 
work,  he  should  be  requested  to  yield 
his  place  in  the  class.  In  season  and  out 
of  season  it  must  be  emphasized  and  re¬ 
iterated  that  the  only  way  to  learn  how 
to  do  personal  work  is  by  doing  it. 

(7)  “/  cannot  lead  the  class.”  Make 
a  conscientious  trial  before  you  give  it 
up.  Remember  that  one  great  object  of 
this  plan  is  to  develop  leaders.  If  after 
such  a  trial  you  are  convinced  that  some 
other  available  man  can  do  better,  have 
the  grace  to  step  down  in  his  favor. 


30 


VIII.  How  to  Start  a  Class. 

1.  First  of  all,  it  is  necessary  that 
some  one  person  (or,  it  may  be,  a  small 
group  of  persons)  recognize  the  need  of 
organized  personal  work,  appreciate  the 
importance  of  this  particular  method, 
and  take  the  initiative  in  bringing  the 
matter  to  the  attention  of  others. 

2.  In  most  organizations,  all  Bible 
class  work  is  placed  under  the  direction 
of  one  of  the  regular  committees.  Let 
the  one  who  is  desirous  of  having  a  class 
formed,  secure  an  opportunity  to  lay  the 
matter  before  the  committee.  If  there 
is  not  such  a  committee,  work  through 
the  president  or  secretary  of  the  organ¬ 
ization. 

3.  When  it  is  decided  to  make  the 
attempt  to  organize  a  class,  let  those 
who  are  most  likely  to  become  actively 
interested  be  called  together  for  a  con¬ 
ference.  At  this  time  have  portions  of 
this  pamphlet,  necessary  to  an  under¬ 
standing  of  the  method,  read  and  care¬ 
fully  considered.  Those  who  desire  to 


31 


enter  such  a  class,  and  who  can  comply 
with  the  requirements  for  membership, 
should  take  steps  toward  organization, 
and  arrange  to  begin  work  at  once. 

4.  The  class  should  select  their  own 
leader,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
committee  having  such  work  in  charge. 
Too  great  care  cannot  be  exercised  in 
this  selection.  A  secretary  should  also 
be  appointed  at  the  first  meeting. 


32 


PART  II. 


PART  II. 


Studies  on  Personal  Work. 

Preliminary  Suggestions. 

i.  The  following  course  of  study  is 
divided  into  ten  main  parts.  They  are 
not  intended  to  represent  Bible  topics  for 
only  ten  lessons,  but  rather  to  indicate 
ten  natural  divisions  of  the  course.  They 
may  be  taken  in  thirty,  twenty,  or  even 
a  smaller  number  of  lessons — depending 
upon  the  method  employed  by  the  class 
in  their  preparation.  If  each  member 
studies  every  point  under  each  division, 
it  will  naturally  take  the  class  longer  to 
compass  the  entire  course,  than  it  would 
if  the  work  were  divided  from  week  to 
week  among  the  different  members,  or 
among  groups  of  members.  It  is  left  to 
the  discretion  of  the  leader  to  decide  how 
much  shall  be  taken  at  each  lesson ;  and, 
in  case  the  work  is  divided,  to  assign  to 
each  member  the  part  for  which  he  will 
be  held  responsible.  In  order  to  do 


34 


this,  it  is  necessary  that  the  leader,  in  his 
study,  keep  at  least  one  division  in  ad¬ 
vance  of  the  class.  No  more  work 
should  be  outlined  than  can  be  at  least 
clearly  reported  in  the  class  in  the  twenty 
minutes  assigned  to  the  treatment  of  the 
Bible  topic. 

2.  Each  member,  according  to  the  mu¬ 
tual  agreement,  is  expected  to  spend  at 
least  twenty  minutes  each  day  in  prep¬ 
aration  on  the  Bible  topic  and  actual 
case.  It  is  hoped  that  he  will  find  it 
possible  to  devote  more  than  this  amount 
to  such  work.  He  should,  if  possible, 
not  only  prepare  thoroughly  the  part  as¬ 
signed  to  him,  but  also  seek  to  extend 
his  study  beyond  the  limits  of  his  own 
topic. 

3.  In  this  study  it  will  be  observed 
that  the  member  will  be  obliged  to  ex¬ 
amine  large  portions  of  the  Scriptures, 
often  without  being  able  to  use  the  con¬ 
cordance  or  index.  Within  a  few  weeks, 
comparatively,  he  will  have  to  review 
— possibly  more  than  once — the  larger 
part  of  the  New  Testament.  It  is  be¬ 
lieved  that  there  are  great  advantages 


35 


connected  with  such  a  method  in  com¬ 
parison  with  simply  taking  a  text  here 
and  there.  Each  member  should  learn 
the  art  of  rapidly  sketching  a  book  of  the 
Bible.  The  paragraph  arrangement  of 
the  Revised  Bible  renders  such  work 
very  easy.  With  a  little  practice  one 
can  learn  how  to  run  through  the  four 
Gospels  with  one  point  in  mind,  and 
gather  all  the  material  bearing  upon  it 
in  from  one  hour  and  a  half  to  three 
hours. 

4.  Work  with  note-book  or  paper  con¬ 
stantly  at  hand.  In  studying,  jot  down 
on  loose  leaves  of  paper  any  point  which 
bears  on  the  topic  as  soon  as  it  is  found. 
In  this  way  the  results  of  even  a  few 
minutes,  snatched  here  and  there  for 
study,  are  not  lost.  Before  going  to  the 
class  write  the  results  of  the  study  dur¬ 
ing  the  week  on  another  sheet  of  paper. 
Let  this  be  done  as  carefully,  accurately, 
clearly,  and  concisely  as  possible.  The 
time  of  the  class  is  golden.  After  the 
work  has  been  reported  and  discussed  in 
class  it  should  be  copied  into  the  note¬ 
book. 


36 


I.  The  Workers’  Bible  Training 
Class.* 

1.  State  the  object  of  the  class,  both 
negatively  and  positively. 

2.  What  is  personal  work  ? 

3.  Name  and  describe  briefly  the  feat¬ 
ures  set  forth  in  the  plan  of  the  class. 

4.  Give  three  or  more  qualifications 
necessary  for  membership  in  such  a 
class. 

5.  Define  the  mutual  agreement  and 
give  arguments  in  its  favor. 

6.  How  can  the  Bible  topic  be  studied 
most  advantageously  ? 

7.  Discuss  briefly  methods  of  keep¬ 
ing  notes  in  connection  with  this  system. 

8.  For  the  cultivation  of  what  field 
by  personal  work  is  this  class  most 
responsible,  and  what  is  the  present 
spiritual  condition  ? 

*It  will  be  understood  that  in  this  opening  lesson  the 
discussion  of  the  following  points  takes  the  place  both  of 
the  development  of  the  Bible  topic  and  of  the  consider¬ 
ation  of  the  actual  case  called  for  by  the  regular  plan  of 
the  class.  The  last  few  minutes  of  the  hour,  however, 
should  be  devoted  to  reports  of  personal  work  and  to  the 
mapping  out  of  the  work  for  the  coming  week. 


37 


g.  What  are  the  advantages  of  dele¬ 
gated  personal  work,  so-called  ?  See 
appendix. 

10.  What  constitutes  the  true  test  of 
success  in  a  class  of  this  kind  ? 

[The  introductory  work  may  be  very 
profitably  continued  for  another  lesson 
by  assigning  to  the  class  pages  19  to  21 
of  this  pamphlet,  on  “How  to  do  per¬ 
sonal  work.”  Let  these  be  carefully 
studied,  and  let  the  members  give  such 
additional  suggestions  as  may  have  been 
gained  by  study  or  experience.  Only 
the  twenty  minutes  given  to  the  Bible 
topic,  in  the  regular  plan  of  the  class, 
should  be  devoted  to  united  consider¬ 
ation  of  this  subject.  The  remainder  of 
the  hour  will  be  occupied,  as  in  all  sub¬ 
sequent  lessons,  with  the  other  features 
of  the  class  work.] 


38 


Ii.  Scripture  Examples  of  Personal. 

Work  Gathered  and  Classified. 

1.  In  order  that  the  class  may  have  a 
repository  of  Scripture  examples  of  per¬ 
sonal  work  to  which  they  may  refer  in 
their  subsequent  study  of  this  subject,  at 
least  one  week  should  be  devoted  to  the 
gathering  of  such  material.  The  class 
will  naturally  confine  their  research  to 
the  Gospels  and  the  Acts.  As  it  will 
probably  be  too  difficult  for  each  member 
to  compass  this  entire  field  within  the 
time  allotted  to  the  preparation  of  the 
lesson,  the  work  should  be  divided  among 
all  the  members  of  the  class;  e.  g,  if 
there  are  ten  in  the  class,  beside  the 
leader,  let  him  assign  to  each  one  eleven 
or  twelve  chapters  for  which  he  will  hold 
him  responsible,  or,  let  him  give  twice 
this  number  to  two  members  for  them  to 
work  on  together. 

2.  Each  member  should  examine  his 
portion  with  the  utmost  care  for  in¬ 
stances  of  personal  work.  Let  there  be 
arranged,  on  sheets  of  paper,  in  two 
groups : 


39 


( 1 )  The  interviews  of  Christ. 

(2)  The  interviews  of  the  followers  of 
Christ. 

In  recording-  these  instances  they 
should,  where  possible,  be  characterized ; 
e.  g.}  Christ  and  the  moral  young  man 
(Matt,  xix:  16-22);  Christ  and  the  care¬ 
worn  disciple  (Luke  x:  38-42),  &c. 

3.  Let  each  member  bring  to  the  class 
the  results  of  his  work  neatly  arranged. 
The  various  reports  should  be  read,  and 
commented  on  at  the  close  if  the  time 
will  admit. 

4.  A  committee  of  three,  including  the 
leader,  should  then  be  appointed  to  give 
special  time  during  the  following  week 
to  uniting  and  harmonizing  the  reports 
of  all  the  members.  Some  good  har¬ 
mony  of  the  Gospels*  should  be  em¬ 
ployed  in  order  that  the  same  interview 
may  not  be  given  under  different  names, 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  where  the  inter¬ 
view  is  recorded  in  more  than  one  Gospel, 
that  all  the  references  to  it  be  given. 

*  Robinson’s  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  is  as  good  as  any. 
Even  the  outline  harmony  given  in  the  back  of  the  ordi¬ 
nary  Oxford  or  Bagster’s  Teacher’s  Bible  will  be  sufficient 
to  decide  most  points. 


40 


5-  It  will  cost  but  little  to  have  several 
copies  of  this  completed  list  of  interviews 
struck  off  by  some  duplicating  process, 
and  thus  supply  each  member  with  a 
copy  for  constant  reference.  In  case 
this  cannot  be  done,  let  each  member 
make  for  himself  a  careful  copy  of  the 
list  prepared  by  the  committee. 


41 


III.  The  Importance  of  Personal 
Work. 

1.  Weigh  carefully  the  last  commands 
of  Christ,  as  given  in  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke,  and  the  Acts. 

(1)  Does  the  fact  that  these  were  His 
last  commands  attach  any  special  import¬ 
ance  to  them  ? 

(2)  If  these  commands  are  to  be  ful¬ 
filled,  what  place  will  be  given  to  per¬ 
sonal  work  among  the  methods  em¬ 
ployed  ? 

2.  Name  some  of  the  teachings  of 
Christ  in  which  the  importance  of  per¬ 
sonal  work  is  clearly  implied. 

3.  Consider  the  example  of  Christ. 

(1)  Note  the  number  of  interviews  re¬ 
corded,  and,  if  time  permits,  observe  the 
prominence  given  to  personal  work  in 
comparison  with  other  methods. 

(2)  Review  John’s  Gospel,  and  observe 
the  amount  and  richness  of  truth  in  the 
conversations  of  Christ  with  individuals. 

(3)  In  this  connection  recall  the  test 
given  in  I.  John  ii:  6. 


42 


4.  How  did  the  early  followers  of 
Christ  regard  His  commands,  teachings, 
and  example  ? 

( 1 )  Give  particular  instances. 

(2)  Recall  the  significant  statement 
concerning  the  early  Church  directly 
following  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen. 


43 


IV.  Incentives  Which  Should  Inspire 
the  Personal  Worker. 

There  are  certain  incentives  which 
move  Christians  to  devote  themselves 
to  the  work  of  winning  others  to  Christ 
• — regardless  of  the  method.  They 
should  influence  with  peculiar  power 
the  personal  worker. 

1.  What  principles  to  incite  us  to 
Christian  activity  does  the  apostle  John 
emphasize  in  his  first  epistle  ? 

2.  What  striking  incentive  is  men¬ 
tioned  by  the  apostle  James  ? 

3.  What  incentive  to  personal  work 
is  afforded  by  the  bringing  of  Peter  to 
Christ  ? 

4.  Determine  from  the  addresses  and 
epistles  of  Paul  what  were  the  consider¬ 
ations  which  impelled  him  to  Christian 
service. 

5.  Search  in  the  Gospel  of  John 
(chapters  iv  to  xvii  inclusive)  for  the  in¬ 
centives  which  actuated  Christ  in  His 
work  for  the  salvation  of  men. 

6.  Proverbs  xi:  30. 


44 


V.  Qualifications  for  Personal  Work. 

1.  Knowledge  experimental  that  Jesus 
Christ  saves  and  keeps  all  who  com¬ 
mit  their  lives  to  Him.  Show  from 
the  epistles  of  John,  Peter,  and  Paul  (to 
the  Romans)  that  they  must  have  pos¬ 
sessed  this  qualification.  This  may  be 
done  in  each  instance  by  an  examination 
of  the  first  three  chapters. 

2.  What  value  does  Paul  attach  in 
his  second  epistle  to  Timothy  to  the 
knowledge  of  and  ability  to  use  the 
Scriptures  as  an  equipment  for  work  ? 

3.  Examine  the  first  six  chapters  of 
the  Acts,  and  state  the  qualification  on 
which  the  early  Christians  most  de¬ 
pended. 

4.  What  is  Paul’s  definition  of  tact  ? 
I.  Cor.  ix.  Give  a  suggestive  Scripture 
illustration  of  its  use  in  Christian  work. 

5.  What  indispensable  qualifications 
for  success  in  Christian  work  were  men¬ 
tioned  by  our  Lord  in  His  last  conversa¬ 
tion  with  the  apostles  before  His  be¬ 
trayal  ?  J ohn  xiii  to  xvi  inclusive. 


45 


VI.  Hindrances  to  Personal  Work. 

Trace  to  their  real  sources  the  follow¬ 
ing  hindrances  which  keep  Christians 
from  engaging  in  personal  work  or  ren¬ 
der  them  comparatively  powerless  in  do¬ 
ing  it ;  and  show  in  each  instance  from 
the  Scriptures  how  they  may  be  over¬ 
come. 

(The  references  given  are  intended  to 
be  suggestions  only. ) 

1.  Natural  diffidence.  Jer.  i:  6-10. 

2.  Self-conceit.  I.  Cor.  x:  12. 

3.  Love  of  ease.  James  iv:  17.  Re¬ 
view  lesson  on  incentives. 

4.  Consciousness  of  an  inconsistent 
life.  I.  John  ii:  1-2. 

5.  An  inconsistent  life  though  un¬ 
recognized  by  the  man  himself.  Luke 
xi:  35- 

6.  False  courtesy.  “Too  polite  to 
speak  to  others  about  their  supreme 
interests.”  Ezek.  iii:  17-21. 

7.  Lack  of  experience  in  personal 
work.  Matt,  iv:  19. 


46 


8.  Ignorance  of  the  Bible.  I.  Tim. 
iv:  12-16. 

9.  Failure  to  recognize  opportunities. 
John  iv:  34-36. 

10.  Satan’s  active  interference.  I.  Thes. 
ii :  18.  How  did  Christ  overcome  Satan  ? 


47 


VII.  How  to  Follow  up  a  Case  of 
Successful  Personal  Work. 

1.  Why  should  the  case  be  followed 
up  ? 

( 1 )  Where  has  Christ  commanded  that 
this  be  done  ? 

(2)  Where  are  we  taught  that  Satan 
is  anxious  to  counteract  and  ruin  the 
good  already  accomplished  ? 

(3)  Think  of  the  possibilities  of  attain¬ 
ment  and  achievement  of  a  Christian 
guarded  and  developed  in  contrast  with 
one  left  unguarded  at  the  threshold  of 
his  Christian  life.  Look  up  the  many 
personal  interviews  of  Christ  with  Peter 
and  recall  his  subsequent  record,  both 
in  character  and  service. 

2.  Who  should  follow  up  the  case  ? 

(1)  Who  naturally  best  understands 
the  conditions  and  needs  of  the  new 
convert,  and  has  the  most  influence  with 
him  in  spiritual  matters  ? 

(2)  To  what  extent  does  the  posses¬ 
sion  of  this  knowledge  and  influence 


48 


impose  responsibility  for  his  future 
Christian  life  and  activity  ? 

(3)  Wherein  should  the  following  up 
of  the  young  Christian  appeal  to  the 
highest  self-interest  of  the  one  who  led 
him  to  Christ  ?  I.  Thes.  ii:  19. 

3.  How  should  he  be  followed  up  ? 

(1)  See  that  he  breaks  off  all  associa¬ 
tions  unfavorable  to  growth  in  the  Chris¬ 
tian  life,  and  is  surrounded  with  a  few 
congenial  Christian  associates,  who  will 
take  a  special  interest  in  him  at  this 
most  critical  period  of  his  life.  Psalm  I. , 
II.  Tim.  ii:  22. 

(2)  Show  him  the  duty  of  identifying 
himself  as  soon  as  possible  with  the 
church  of  his  choice. 

(a)  What  was  Christ’s  practice  with 
reference  to  the  church  of  His  day  ? 

(b)  What  is  implied  in  the  following 
commands  of  Christ  ?  Luke  xii :  8 ;  Mark 
xvi:  16;  Luke  xxii:  19. 

( c )  Consider  the  example  of  the  early 
Christians.  Actsii:  37-42,  47. 

(3)  Caution  him  against  the  tempta¬ 
tions  common  to  new  converts,  and 
point  out  to  him  the  way  of  escape. 


49 


(4)  Meet  with  him  from  time  to  time 
and  encourage  him  in  forming  habits  of 
secret  prayer  and  of  the  systematic 
study  of  such  Bible  truth  as  is  suitable 
to  his  experience.  Dan.  vi:  io;  Acts 
xx :  32. 

(5)  Enlist  him  in  some  form  of  defi¬ 
nite  Christian  work. 


4 


VIII.  Suggestive  Scripture  Example 
of  Successful  Personal  Work. 
(Acts  VIII.) 

1.  The  Worker. 

( 1 )  What  official  position  in  the  church 
did  Philip  hold  ;  and  what  qualifications 
must  he  have  had  in  order  to  be  called 
to  this  office?  Was  he  ever  known  by 
any  other  title? 

(2)  To  what  extent  did  the  duties  of 
his  office  absorb  his  time  ? 

(3)  What  qualifications  as  a  worker 
may  we  infer  that  he  possessed  from 
the  record  of  his  work? 

2.  The  Inquirer. 

(1)  What  is  known  concerning  the 
position  and  character  of  the  Ethiopian 
eunuch? 

(2)  State  all  that  may  be  reasonably 
inferred  regarding  his  spiritual  con¬ 
dition. 

3.  The  Circumstances. 

(1)  Note  that  though  Philip  was  at 
the  head  of  a  successful  and  absorbing 
work,  influencing  an  entire  city,  he  yet 


5i 


willingly  went  into  an  unknown  and  un¬ 
inviting  field. 

(2)  Mark  the  fact  that  Philip  was 
led  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  although  but 
one  step  at  a  time ;  and  that  what  was 
obscure  at  the  beginning  was  later 
made  plain. 

(3)  Observe  the  great  importance  of 
prompt  obedience  to  the  leadings  of  God. 
Had  Philip  delayed  even  an  hour,  what 
would  have  been  the  result?  Consult 
the  map  ascertaining  the  direction  of 
the  route,  the  probable  meeting  point, 
and  its  distance  from  Samaria. 

(4)  Were  the  worker  and  inquirer  ac¬ 
quainted  with  each  other  ? 

4.  The  Interview. 

(1)  What  can  be  said  concerning’Phil- 
ip’s  method  of  approach?' 

(2)  How  did  the  inquirer  receive  him? 

(3)  What  points  may  it  be  inferred 
that  Philip  gained  to  guide  him  in  his 
treatment  from  his  observation  of  the 
inquirer  and  his  conversation  with  him? 

(4)  What  lessons  may  be  learned  from 
Philip’s  manner  of  dealing  with  the  in¬ 
quirer? 


(5)  What  comes  out  incidentally  in 
this  conversation  showing  the  necessity 
for  personal  work? 

5.  The  Result. 

(1)  What  were  the  effects  of  the  in¬ 
terview  upon  the  eunuch? 

(2)  What  new  field  did  it  open  up 
before  Philip? 


53 


IX.  Side  Lights  From  the  Experience 
and  Example  of  Paul. 

1.  What  three  things  did  Paul  owe  to 
the  personal  work  of  others? 

2.  Name  at  least  three  instances  of 
personal  work  on  the  part  of  Paul? 

3.  What  may  we  rightly  infer  from 
his  charge  given  at  Miletus  to  the  elders 
of  the  Church  of  Ephesus  concerning 
the  place  of  this  method  in  his  extended 
work  in  their  city? 

4.  Consider  in  two  important  par¬ 
ticulars  Paul’s  spiritual  equipment  for 
his  work  : 

(1)  Group  the  references  in  the  Acts 
indicating  the  relation  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  him  and  his  work. 

(2)  Give  passages  in  the  Acts  show¬ 
ing  his  knowledge  and  use  of  the  Script¬ 
ures. 

5.  What  was  his  theme  in  preaching 
and  teaching — whether  to  individuals  or 
to  multitudes? 

6.  Characterize  as  fully  as  possible 
the  manner  in  which  Paul  worked?  See 
list  of  his  personal  interviews. 


54 


X.  Lessons  From  the  Personal  Inter¬ 
views  of  Jesus  Christ.* 

1.  Consider  the  following  important 
qualifications  in  His  equipment  for  per¬ 
sonal  work,  and  give  an  illustration  of 
each :  Filled  with  the  Spirit ;  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures ;  knowledge  of  man ; 
knowledge  of  nature. 

2.  Observe  the  varied  classes  of  peo¬ 
ple  with  whom  He  carried  on  personal 
work,  and  record  an  example  of  each. 

(1)  Rich  and  poor. 

(2)  Old  and  young. 

(3)  Men  and  women. 

(4)  Jews  and  Gentiles. 

(5)  Educated  and  ignorant. 

(6)  Believers  and  unbelievers. 

(7)  Officials  and  common  people. 

(8)  Those  with  whom  He  was  inti¬ 
mate  and  strangers. 

(9)  People  with  high  social  standing, 
and  outcasts  and  criminals. 

*  Make  constant  reference  to  the  list  of  Christ’s  inter¬ 
views  prepared  at  the  beginning  of  the  course. 


55 


3.  Note  the  varied  places  where  He 
engaged  in  such  work,  and  give  several 
examples ;  e.  g. ,  synagogue,  home,  busi¬ 
ness  house,  city  street,  country  field,  on 
the  water,  on  the  cross. 

4.  Consider  the  varied  times  when 
He  worked,  and  indicate  an  example  of 
each  of  the  following:  on  a  week-day, 
on  the  Sabbath,  at  different  times  of 
the  day. 

5.  Recall  the  varied  circumstances 
under  which  He  did  personal  work — giv¬ 
ing  an  example  in  each  case ;  e.  g. ,  when 
alone,  when  in  a  crowd,  while  preaching, 
while  healing,  while  on  trial,  etc. 

6.  How  did  He  improve  opportunities? 
Is  there  record  of  His  ever  turning  a 
man  away,  or  putting  him  off? 

7.  Illustrate  by  actual  cases  how 
closely  He  came  into  touch  with  those 
whom  He  sought  to  help? 

8.  Examine  carefully  His  method  of 
approach  in  several  interviews,  and 
characterize  it ;  e.  g. ,  naturally,  tactfully, 
fearlessly,  etc.  In  this  connection  give 
instances  where  He  endeavored  to  help 
men  spiritually  by  appealing  to  other 


56 


sides  of  their  nature;  e.  g .,  physical, 
social,  intellectual. 

9.  What  were  some  of  the  strongest 
points  in  His  manner  and  method  in 
personal  work?  He  showed  compassion ; 
appealed  to  the  Word  of  God;  agreed 
with  the  man  when  possible,  and  took 
advantage  of  points  of  agreement;  etc. 
Indicate  other  points. 

10.  Give  at  least  three  cases  where 
He  followed  up  His  personal  work.  How 
many  conversations  did  He  have  with 
Peter  about  His  spiritual  welfare? 

xi.  Was  He  always  successful — from 
the  human  standpoint? 


57 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


DELEGATED  PERSONAL  WORK.* 

WHAT  IS  IT  ? 

A  plan  whereby  the  members  of  Work¬ 
ers’  Bible  Training  Classes  are  delegated 
by  the  leader  to  interview  and  follow  up 
young  men  until  satisfactory  reports  are 
presented  as  to  results  obtained. 

WHY  IMPORTANT? 

Because  most  Christians  fail  to  recog¬ 
nize  opportunities  for  personal  work. 

Because  much  of  the  work  done  is 
superficial  and  unsatisfactory. 

Because  through  natural  diffidence 
many  young  Christians  are  prevented 
from  beginning  personal  work. 

Because  in  business  and  in  many  other 
departments  of  Christian  work,  it  is  nec- 

*  The  appendix  on  Delegated  Personal  Work,  with  the 
permission  of  the  author,  is  taken  from  Mr.  L.  Wilbur 
Messer’s  valuable  pamphlet,  “  Christ  as  a  Personal 
Worker.” 


59 


essary  to  delegate  important  business  to 
others  who  shall  be  responsible  for  its 
performance. 

Because  young  men  partially  interested 
in  the  Association,  or  introduced  by 
friends,  need  a  thorough  and  systematic 
effort  in  their  behalf. 

Because  we  have  scriptural  illustra¬ 
tions  of  its  necessity,  namely: 

The  Saviour  was  sent  by  the  Father  to 
redeem  the  world. 

Philip  was  delegated  to  deal  with  the 
Ethiopian  Eunuch. 

Peter  was  delegated  to  preach  to  Cor¬ 
nelius. 

Ananias  was  delegated  to  minister  to 
Saul  ? 

HOW  ORGANIZED  ? 

Each  member  of  the  class  should  make 
his  report  of  personal  work  accomplished 
each  week,  on  blanks  prepared  like  the 
form  below. 

When  the  secretary  of  the  class  calls 
the  roll,  each  member  will  read  the  brief 
report  of  personal  work  as  written  on  the 
blank. 

Each  case  assigned  is  to  be  followed 


60 


up  until  the  class  or  leader  decides  that 
thorough  work  has  been  performed. 

From  these  reports  a  typical  case  will 
be  chosen  for  study  each  week. 

The  leader  and  secretary  should  see 
that  each  member  is  doing  actual  per¬ 
sonal  work  each  week. 

If  a  member  of  the  class  prefers  to 
select  his  own  case,  he  should  be  allowed 
to  do  so. 

The  leader  or  secretary  should  keep  a 
record  of  such  persons  as  in  their  judg¬ 
ment  might  be  approached  by  members 
of  the  class 


61 


FORM  OF  PERSONAL  WORK  BLANK  FOR 
WORKERS’  BIBLE  TRAINING  CLASS. 

The  following  questions  refer  to  some 
young  man  selected  by,  or  delegated  to, 
a  member  of  the  class.  Report  on  case 
is  to  be  made  each  week ,  and  recorded  by 
the  secretary  of  the  class  until  satisfac¬ 
tory  results  are  realized. 

Name . 

Address . 

Objections  and  difficulties . 


Characteristics  and  condition 


Date  registered  by  class . 

Report  on  above  case  .  .  .189.  .  By.  .  . 


Reports  will  be  called  for  by  the  secre¬ 
tary  of  the  class  at  each  session. 


62 


College  Series. 


301.  College  Association  Record  Blanks.  Prepared  by 

Clarence  H.  Lee.  A  full  set  of  blanks  for.  regular 
Committees,  and  for  complete  summary  by  Re¬ 
cording  Secretary.  Printed  on  heavy  paper  and 
perforated  ready  for  Binder,  with  specially  made 
Binder  for  preservation  and  reference.  Price  com¬ 
plete,  $1.50.  The  Binder  will  last  for  years,  and 
purchasers  will  be  supplied  with  blanks  for  later 
years  at  $1.00  per  set. 

302.  College  Association  Buildings.  Containing  p~’z- 

tures  of  nine  buildings  and  plans  of  three,  also 
testimonies  regarding  the  value  of  such  buildings. 
John  R.  Mott.  Price  fifteen  cents. 

303.  How  to  secure  a  College  Association  Building. 

John  R.  Mott.  Price  five  cents. 

304.  How  can  the  College  Association  awaken  and 

maintain  interest  in  Bible  Study?  John  R.  Mott. 
Price  five  cents. 

305.  The  Fall  Campaign,  or  how  to  reach  New  Stu¬ 

dents.  John  R.  Mott.  Price  five  cents. 

306.  The  claims  of  the  General  Secretaryship  on  Men 

of  education  and  ability.  John  R.  Mott.  Price 
five  cents. 

307.  Personal  Work,  how  organized  and  accomplished  : 

Studies  for  Bible  training  classes.  C.  K.  Ober 
and  John  R.  Mott.  Carefully  revised,  enlarged 
and  improved.  Price  ten  cents. 

308.  The  Study  of  the  English  Bible  in  College.  Prof. 

George  S.  Burroughs,  Ph.  D.  Price  five  cents. 

309.  Constitution  of  the  College  Association,  (Re¬ 

vised  1891.)  Price  five  cents, 

63 


310.  Christ  as  a  Personal  Worker;  Topics  and  Meth¬ 

ods  for  Workers’  Bible  Training  Classes.  Sug¬ 
gested  by  L.  Wilbur  Messer.  Price  S ~e  cents. 

311.  Studies  in  the  Gospel  of  Luke.  Robert  E.  Speer. 

Price,  paper,  ten  cents;  cloth,  twenty  cents. 

312.  Studies  in  Acts.  Robert  E.  Speer.  Price,  paper, 

thirty  cents  ;  cloth,  fifty  cents. 

313.  Christ  Among  Men.  Studies  for  Workers’  Bible 

Training  Glasses.  James  MeConaughy,  Price  five 
cents. 

In  quantities  of  one  dozen  or  more ,  No.  302  is  sold  at 
$ 1.2 3  per  dozen  ;  in  quantities  of  fifty  or  more  at  $7 .50  per 
hundred.  No.  311,  one  dozen  or  more,  paper,  $1.00  per 
dozen,  cloth,  $ 2.0 o  per  dozen  ;  fifty  or  more,  paper,  $8 .00 per 
hundred,  cloth,  $13.00  per  hundred.  No.  312,  one  dozen 
or  more,  paper,  $3.00  per  dozen,  cloth,  $3.  o  o  per  dozen:  fifty 
or  more,  paper,  $23.00  per  hundred,  cloth,  $ 43.00  per  hun¬ 
dred.  In  same  quantities.  Nos.  303  to  3  to  and  3 13  are  sold 
at  30  cents  per  dozen,  or  $4.00  per  hundred.  International 
Committee  of  Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations,  4  o  East  23d 
Street,  New  York. 


64 


